Adhesive tape dispensers



Aug. 9, 1966 H. STEPHENS 3,265,264

ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENsERs Filed Feb. 15, 1965 HHM ffa

INVENTOR United States Patent O 3,265,264 ADHESIVE TAPE DISPENSERS Hugh Stephens, 90 Leighton Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Filed Feb. 1S, 1965, Ser. No. 432,477 1 Ciairn. (Cl. 22525) Adhesive tape dispensers of the type in which the roll is rotatably mounted in a holder and having a cutter bar remote therefrom, are designed to provide a ledge integral with, and adjacent lthe cutter bar. Present practice requires the end of the tape to ybe drawn across the ledge past the cutter bar where by a downward motion it adheres to the ledge and is severed. The uncut portion is thus prevented from returning to the roll.

When it becomes necessary to repeat the cutting operation difliculty is always encountered in taking hold of the tape between the thumb and the foretinger. Most users take hold of the tape at a point near the ledge in such a manner as to initially hold the tape with the thumb and forenger pointing to the user. Once freed fromthe ledge it becomes necessary to follow one of two alternatives, either transfer the tacky tape to the other hand while a new hold is secured, or continue holding the tape with the original hand by which action during the pulling operation the tape is twisted at right angles to the normal flow. Not infrequently, owing to the adhesive nature of the material it becomes necessary to straighten out tangled tape. This proves disconcerting, inefficient and time wasting.

Applicant has eliminated this by research into the matter of precise distances, relative spacing, heights, angles and shapes of a tape rest, as they relate to the cutter bar and the point of tape disengagement from the roll. It has been found for instance that in order for a tape to adhere to a tape rest, both the leading and trailing edges of the tape rest must, in that order, each separately intervene between the point of tape disengagement and the cutting edge of the cutter bar. This one improvement is achieved primarily and fundamentally by placing the tape rest medially distant between the tape roll and the cutter bar and sufficiently removed from the latter to provide ample linger clearance. By angular design with respect to the tape feed, the upper face of the tape rest employed will automatically receive and adhesively hold the tape during the tape-tensing and cutting action.

It has been found that in the adhesive tapes on the market differences in stilfness exist, as well as in the viscid quality of the adhesive used, necessitating modifications in design of structure. The flimsiness of some tape has been dealt with quite effectively by compelling it to assume a concave shape thus giving it a rigidity it could not otherwise possess.

The invention comprises two embodiments and both relate particularly to the shape of the tape rest element. One has a ilat upper face angularly disposed and the other while at and angularly disposed has a con-cave shape transverse of the frame. In making adhesive contact with the rest, the tape in both embodiments takes the shape of and assumes the angle of the tape rest. In the case of the concave rest the tape maintains the concave form beyond the cutter bar, adding the degree of rigidity inherent in such a shape.

An object of the invention is to secure ample finger clearance for the free endA of the tape following severance, enabling the user to extend the tape in the most natural way possible.

A further object is to intensify the reflex action in the tape at moment of severance by providing an adequate length under tension between the tape rest and the cutter bar.

3,265,264 Patented August 9, 1966 Another object is to provide an adhesive tape rest of concave design that will cause the tape to snap out of the way of the cutter bar following severance.

Another object is to provide a tape rest of concave shape that will deal effectively with all grades of plastic adhesive tape and leave Ia length of tape freely exposed for subsequent action.

In the annexed drawings: FIG. 1 is an isometric view showing arrangement of the concave tape rest and the coaction of the tape relative thereto; FIG. 2 is a front elevation; FIG. 3 is a right side elevation; FIG. 4 is a fragmentary View showing the alternative tape rest having a flat face.

Similar numerals refer to similar points throughout the several views.

In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the supporting frame of the preferred embodiment preferably of plastic material but not so restricted, a roll of adhesive tape 2 is axially mounted at 3 on the frame 1, a cutter bar 4 is disposed distant from the tape roll 2, the cutting edge 5 of which is bent away from the roll 2, a tape rest 6 having a concave upper face 7 upwardly inclined to the plane of tape flow and medially spaced between the tape roll 2 and the cutter bar 4 has a leading edge 8 and a trailing edge 9 both edges lying above an imaginary line drawn tangentially from the upper position of the tape roll 2 to the cutting edge 5 of the cutter bar 4.

In practice the freed tape 10 is withdrawn from roll 2 and drawn past the tape rest 6 where it is lowered in the direction of the cutter bar 4. In so doing, the freed tape 10 makes initial Contact and is primarily adhesively secured at leading edge 8 of the rest face 7 and completes ful-l adherence as it is lowered to the trailing edge 9 where it is bent over to the cutting edge 5.

In providing a free length of tape, between the area of adhesion on the tape rest 6 and the cutting edge 5 means are thus assured to permit a high degree of tension between the trailing edge 9 and the cutting edge 5 at the moment of severance. With tapes of poorer quality and those thinner or less viscid than standard it has been found necessary to increase the tension and thus supplement the reaction by introducing a degree of rigidity to the freed portion of the tape 10. This is accomplished by compelling the tape 10 to conform to the curve of the concave upper face 7, such conformity extending beyond the cutting edge 5.

At the moment of cutting, the additional tension required to vbring the whole of the curved tape width to bear against the straight length of the cutting edge 5 creates a strong reiiex action in the tape 10 to return to its concave shape.

This causes the free end of the tape 10 upon severance to snap back from the cutting edge 5 and in so doing assume a position dictated by the angle of the rest face 7 well above the cutting edge 5 and sufficient-ly beyond the trailing edge 9 to be freely accessible for subsequent action.

The procedure when using the second embodiment having a tape rest 6 with a flat face 11 with leading edge 12 and trailing edge 13 is fundamentally the same as when using concave face 7 and although face 11 is structurally designed in relation to trailing edge 13 and cutting edge 5 as to adequately provide sufficient tension reaction to be suitable for use with tapes of higher quality, tapes thinner or less viscid do not consistently react as well.

While container 1 is depicted in the drawings as having an oblong boxlike structure this application does not limit containers to such design and may incorporate the special features as claimed by this petitioner in containers of other shapes and materials which lend themselves to eiiicient use and economy of manufacture.

3 4 I claim: References Cited by the Examiner An adhesive tape dispenser comprising a roll of adhesive UNITED STATES PATENTS tape rotatably mounted Within a frame, a cutter bar distant from said roll of tape forming part of said frame, a 2434776 1/1948 van Cleef et al 225T26 5 2,823,750 2/1958 Vogt 22S-90 X tape rest transversely disposed withln said frame and 2967 651 1/1961 Zacheim et al 225 80 medially positioned between said roll of tape and said 2987232 6/1961 Burdick et al.' 225 26 cutter bar, the upper face of said tape rest being at in 069:05 12/1962 Steele et al. 225 47 line of and concave transverse of the line of tape ow between the ro11 and the cutter bar, said tape rest having l0 l a leading and trailing edge intercepting in ordered se- 9401626 10/1963 Great Bmam quence said line of tape flow between the point of tape 145824 6/1954 Sweden' disengagement from the roll and the cutting edge of said WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner.

Cutter bal- I. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

FOREIGN PATENTS 

